Site LPS 47: Snow Hill, Nantwich

The development of Snow Hill over the Local Plan Strategy period will be achieved through:

  1. The comprehensive mixed use regeneration of this important site to strengthen and enhance the existing town centre and take advantage of its location next to the River Weaver. The site is suitable for a number of uses including:
    1. Retail, including opportunities for small, independent retailers;
    2. Leisure and sports facilities;
    3. Offices;
    4. Hotel including a conference venue;
    5. Parking;
    6. Housing; and
    7. Bars and cafés.
  2. The provision of high quality design is of paramount importance, as this site includes numerous listed buildings, a listed structure and lies partly within the Nantwich Conservation Area. Development should have regard to the need to conserve and enhance and have a positive impact upon the character and appearance of the listed buildings and conservation area, including their settings. Development should also have regard to the proposals of the Nantwich Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Strategy (17/12/12), including the impact of proposals on Local List candidates that lie within or adjacent to this site.

Site Specific Principles of Development

  1. A design framework including a masterplan which ensures that the site is seen as being part of the town centre, by the creation of strong links between Snow Hill and the existing town centre; the establishment of active new frontages; high quality urban design; clear and easy to use pedestrian and cycle routes, both throughout the site and between the site and the town centre and to facilitate a radical improvement to the environmental quality of Swinemarket.
  2. Retail provision to include small units, to ensure opportunities are given to independent retailers as well as adding to and complementing the existing retailing and leisure offer of the town.
  3. Improvements to existing and the provision of new pedestrian and cycle links to the town centre and new and existing residential areas, employment areas, shops, education and health facilities.
  4. Maintain, as far as possible, car parking levels in the town centre.
  5. Sensitively expand the area to the west of the river to support the mix of uses along Welsh Row.
  6. Incorporation and retention of the swimming baths within the overall design for the site.
  7. Incorporation of green infrastructure, including:
    1. An extension of the riverside park between Reaseheath College and the town centre (on both sides of the river), including both the floodplain and the valley shoulder, with substantial native woodland tree planting and a wetland landscape buffer zone, with public access, including formal footpaths and cycleways to improve levels of access to the River Weaver and its banks;
    2. Open space provision.
  8. Create a series of interconnected, attractive streets and spaces.
  9. The design of new buildings to be of a very high standard, reflecting the site's location within and adjacent to the Nantwich Conservation Area.
  10. This area is within an area of archaeological potential and an area of special archaeological potential which included nationally-important waterlogged archaeological deposits. A desk based archaeological assessment and a pre-determination evaluation will be required, with further work and mitigation being carried out as appropriate to preserve the archaeological value of Snow Hill.
  11. On site provision, or where appropriate, relevant contributions towards highways and transport, education, health, green infrastructure, open space and community facilities.
  12. Improvement to Waterlode / Welsh Row junction.
  13. Deliver a distinctive destination for local people to be proud of and visitors to enjoy.
  14. Proposals should consider impacts of development on the listed 'Nantwich Bridge' and its setting.
  15. Proposals should include an assessment of the contribution the area makes to the conservation area, including views of the conservation area.
  16. A minimum of a Phase 1 Preliminary Risk Assessment for contaminated land should be carried out to demonstrate that the site is, or could be made, suitable for use should it be found to be contaminated.  Further work, including a site investigation, may be required at a pre-planning stage, depending on the nature of the part of the site concerned.
  17. New development will be expected to respect any flooding constraints on the site and where necessary provide appropriate mitigation.
  18. Retention of the floodplain of the River Weaver; a large area of the site lies within the floodplain of the River Weaver which needs to be protected from development.
  19. Development proposals will be required to demonstrate that they will conserve and enhance the character and appearance of the listed buildings, listed structure and conservation area, including their settings and also show how regard has been paid to the impact of development proposals on the heritage of the town.
  20. Development on the site should provide compensatory habitat for any protected and priority species and habitats on the site.

Justification

15.535 The River Weaver is a key site in Cheshire for both water vole and otter. It is important therefore that the river corridor is enhanced and safeguarded as part of any development.

15.536 The provision of new green infrastructure and the improvement of existing green infrastructure are of paramount importance. This will assist in improving the health and wellbeing of residents and those working within the town, as well as enhancing the environment of the town. Nantwich Riverside runs through the site and is a key green / blue infrastructure asset to the town. An extension to the Nantwich Riverside Walk, on both sides of the River Weaver, will be provided as part of this development.

15.537 The site includes an area of archaeological potential; an area of special archaeological potential which includes nationally important waterlogged archaeological deposits, listed buildings and lies within and adjacent to the Nantwich Conservation Area. The best practice contained in the ‘Nantwich Waterlogged Deposits Report No 3 Management Strategy: Supplementary Planning Document for the Historic Environment and Archaeological Deposits: Area of Special Archaeological Potential (Revised June 2016)’ will need to be applied with regard to development proposals on the site. These heritage assets will be protected and enhanced through appropriate design, heritage assessment and landscaping. The southern extent of the site lies within the Nantwich Conservation Area, an area of archaeological potential as well as having several listed buildings (including Nantwich Bridge that crosses over the river) within and around the periphery of the site. Development within the site will need to have regard to the proposals of the Nantwich Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Strategy (17/12/12). This may include the opportunity to enhance the open grassed areas and car parks alongside the River Weaver, within and adjacent to the Nantwich Conservation Area. A number of local list candidates (Manor House, No. 7, 7a and 7b Beam Street, The Old Biot (brine spring site), Snow Hill The Watermill site, Waterlode) are located within or adjacent to the site and are important features of the character and appearance of the conservation area; the impact of development proposals on these local list candidates must therefore be taken into consideration with regard to development proposals for the site.

15.538 The Nantwich swimming baths is an important asset to the town and includes an outdoor brine swimming pool. It is important therefore that this is retained and incorporated within the development scheme for the site.

15.539 Part of the site is located within an area of flood risk / flood plain of the River Weaver and as such will need to be protected from development and included as part of the extended Riverside Park.

15.540 Part of this site is in an area of former gasworks and therefore has potential contamination issues which should be considered in any future application. The remaining area of the site is also potentially contaminated and should therefore also be subject to appropriate studies and remediation.

15.541 Any replacement and/or new sports provision should be in accordance with an adopted up to date and robust Playing Pitch Strategy and Indoor Sports Strategy and with Policy SC 2 ‘Indoor and Outdoor Sports Facilities’.

15.542 Protected and priority species and their habitats are present on the site. It is therefore important that development on the site provides appropriate mitigation.

Indicative Site Delivery

Policy information

 

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